Fire Prevention Week 2013 "Prevent Kitchen Fires"

  • Published
  • By Timothy Hiltner
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE Calif. --  This year's Fire Prevention Week begins on the Oct. 6 and runs through the Oct. 12, with events planned base-wide to remind the residents of Edwards AFB to remain fire safe. Fire Prevention Week is a time-honored tradition established to reflect upon fire safety. The week is designed to reflect upon and remember the events of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, in which more than 250 people lost their lives, and destroyed most of the city. This year's theme is "Prevent Kitchen Fires." Kitchen fires account for nearly 40 percent of all home fires, with unattended cooking being the largest culprit.

The National Fire Protection Agency along with the Edwards Fire Department encourages the following safety guidelines:

· Be on alert! Attentively be aware of your food.
· Stay in the kitchen while frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you have to leave the room, shut off the cooking appliance.
· If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food check it regularly. Use a timer to remind yourself.
· Keep anything that can catch fire, for instance, oven mitts, food packaging, and towels away from any cooking surfaces.

In the event of a fire use the acronym S-P-E-E-D:

· Sound the alarm
· Phone 9-1-1
· Extinguish the fire
· Evacuate the area
· Direct fire crews

National Fire Protection Agency facts:

· In 2011 U.S. fire departments responded to over 370,000 home structure fires with damage estimates totaling in excess of $6.9 billion. These fires caused more than 13,000 reported injuries and nearly 2,520 deaths.
· On average, seven people die in U.S. home fires per day.
· Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and fire injuries, followed by heating equipment fires and then smoking.
· U.S. Fire Departments responded to an estimate annual average of 156,000 cooking-related fires from 2007-2011, resulting in 400 deaths, with over 5,000 related injuries and costing an estimated $853 million.
· Range fires accounted for 58 percent of home cooking fire incidents, while ovens accounted for 16 percent.
· Young children under the age of five, account for a large percent of burns that occur.
· Microwave ovens are a leading cause of scald burn injuries, responsible for nearly 45 percent.


Fire Prevention Week 2013, Schedule of Events:

Friday, Oct. 4

Sparky greets base personnel at the West Gate
6:30 a.m. - 7:30 a.m.

BX Fire Extinguisher Training/Stove Top Fire Demo
General Fire Safety Information
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.


Monday,  Oct. 7

Sparky greets base personnel at the North Gate
6:30 a.m. - 7:30 a.m.


Tuesday,  Oct. 8 


Elementary School Visit
Fire Safety Trailer, Sparky the Fire Dog, Lots of goodies
8:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 9 


Elementary School Visit
Fire Safety Trailer, Sparky the Fire Dog, Lots of goodies
8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Thursday,  Oct. 11


FCC Home Day Care/Home Schools at the Big Park
Fire Safety Trailer, Sparky the Fire Dog, lots of goodies
9:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

Child Daycare Center Visit, Smokey and Sparky
10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Friday,  Oct. 12

Poster Contest Awards Presentation at Elementary Schools
8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.


The base fire department will be conducting static displays, information booths and training sessions at various times throughout the week. For more information contact the Edwards Fire Prevention office at (661) 277-2219 or (661) 277-3643.